William Taylor Adams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Taylor Adams Oliver Optic
William T. Adams by Davis & Dow of Boston
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 5th Norfolk District
In office January 6, 1869 – January 5, 1870
Succeeded by	Samuel Atherton
Member of the School Committee of Boston, Massachusetts
In office 1870–1870
Member of the School Committee of the Town of Dorchester, Massachusetts
In office 1867–1870
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Personal details
Born	July 30, 1822 Medway, Massachusetts
Died	March 27, 1897 (aged 74) Dorchester, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Spouse	Sarah Jenkins
Children	Alice Maria Adams, Emma Louisa Adams
Profession	teacher, author
Signature

William Taylor Adams (born July 30, 1822 – died March 27, 1897) was an American teacher and writer. He is best known by his pen name, Oliver Optic. He also served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Adams wrote many popular books for young people, often about adventure and travel.

Early Life and School Days

William Taylor Adams was born in Medway, Massachusetts, on July 30, 1822. His father, Captain Laban Adams, ran a tavern. His mother was Catherine Johnson Adams.

William was a very good student. He earned honors at schools in Boston and West Roxbury. After public school, he went to a private academy for one year.

Becoming a Teacher

In 1843, Adams started his career as a teacher. He taught at the Lower Road School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He left teaching in 1846 to help his family manage their new hotel in Boston.

However, Adams soon realized he liked teaching more. In 1848, he returned to teaching at the Boylston School in Boston. He became the master (head teacher) of the Boylston School in 1860. Later, he moved to the new Bowditch School as its master. He taught there until 1865. His time as a teacher helped him understand what young people liked. This knowledge was very useful when he became a writer.

Family and Travels

In 1846, William Adams married Sarah Jenkins. They had two daughters, Alice Maria and Emma Louisa. Adams loved to travel. He visited Europe more than twenty times. He also traveled in Asia and Africa. These trips gave him many ideas for his adventure stories.

Public Service

Adams was involved in his community. He served on school boards for 14 years. These boards helped manage schools in Dorchester and Boston.

He also served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. This is a group of people who make laws for the state. He represented the 5th Norfolk District from January 1869 to January 1870.

Becoming a Famous Author

Adams started writing when he was 28 years old. His first book, Hatchie, the Guardian Slave, came out in 1853. He used the pen name Warren T. Ashton for this book. It was not a huge success.

But Adams did not give up. In 1854, he had his first big hit with The Boat Club. This book was the start of a popular series. He kept writing until he passed away in 1897. He wrote over 100 books in total! Most of his books were for boys. Many were part of series with four to six books.

He used the pen name "Oliver Optic" most often. He also used other names like "Irving Brown." Adams was also an editor. Many of his stories first appeared in Oliver Optic's Magazine.

Some writers, like Louisa May Alcott, criticized Adams's writing style. They thought he used too much slang. Adams defended his work, pointing out that Alcott also used slang in her stories.

Popular Books by Oliver Optic

William Taylor Adams wrote many books for young readers. Here are some examples of his popular series and other works:

Books for Both Boys and Girls

Riverdale Stories

These stories were published around 1862.

• The Little Merchant
• The Young Voyagers
• The Christmas Gift

Woodville Series

This series included stories like:

• Rich and Humble (1863)
• In School and Out (1863)
• Work and Win (1865)

Series for Boys

Boat Club Series

This was one of his first big successes.

• The Boat Club (1854)
• All Aboard (1856)
• Poor and Proud (1858)

Army and Navy Series

These books were set during the Civil War.

• The Soldier Boy (1863)
• The Sailor Boy (1863)
• Fighting Joe (1865)

Young America Abroad Series

These series followed young people on adventures around the world.

• Outward Bound (1866) – Young America in Europe
• Up the Baltic (1871) – Young America in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
• American Boys Afloat (1893) – Cruising in the Orient

Blue and the Gray Series

These two series were also set during the Civil War.

• Taken by the Enemy (1883) – Part of the "Blue and the Gray Afloat" series
• Brother against Brother (1894) – Part of the "Blue and the Gray on Land" series

Other Works

Adams also wrote books that were not part of a series, such as:

• A Spelling-Book For Advanced Classes (1873)
• The Great Bonanza (1876) – A book about adventure and discovery.

He also wrote a few books for adults, but they were not as popular as his children's books.

Images for kids

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  Oliver Optic's Sailor boy, or, Jack Somers in the navy (1863)

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  Oliver Optic's All Adrift (1892)